Do no harm

It’s distressing to know that doctors from Toronto’s Hospital for Sick Children have published an article on how best to extend voluntary euthanasia to children. This is sad but not surprising, as Canada both at home and abroad pushes to extend the culture of death. 

The state decides what is good “care” for the patient, and what is not, including the appropriate time to intentionally kill. That a sick child or person is most often not capable of making a responsible decision is of no concern. Society says we must respect the patient’s “right” to end his life. This is similar to the insane idea that students have the “right” to transgender without the parents being informed. What the self wants, not family and God, is paramount.

The medical goal should be to save lives and do no harm. Instead, the authors corrupt the aim by suggesting efficient ways to kill. To give patients the autonomy to be killed and then pay doctors to find economical ways do so is not medical care. It’s reducing life to a product, one more thing to use and abuse and then discard at will. 

Canada is in terrible need of architects of the culture of life and true care.

Lou Iacobelli,

Toronto

---

Vote wisely

A recent news report mentioned that the Halton Catholic District School Board trustees had cancelled a motion disallowing various charities from benefiting from school-run fund-raising because of connections to causes whose agendas contained elements contrary to Catholic teaching. This move followed protests from students and parents. The majority of trustees bowed to the will of the protesters.

On Oct. 22 parents and taxpayers will have the task of electing not only city mayors and councillors, but also their representative on the school board. In the case of the latter group, the trustees will be answerable not only for the financial and material welfare of the students, but also for their spiritual welfare. It is a heavy responsibility.

Let us hope Catholics in Ontario take care to elect trustees whose values are not in conflict with Catholic teachings and who make sure to eschew the secular attitudes often promoted by some candidates. These are the people we entrust with our most precious resource, our children.

C. Daffern,

Scarborough, Ont.

With an $11.6-million donation, Toronto’s St. Joseph’s Health Centre will create one of the largest, most advanced and most comprehensive palliative care units in Canada.

When Birthright first took root 50 years ago, little did the founders foresee it growing from its little office in Toronto to an organization spanning North America and even making inroads into Africa.

The Christian Medical and Dental Society of Canada has received permission to appeal a Jan. 31 Ontario Divisional Court decision that would force objecting doctors to refer for assisted suicide.

Tensions continued to run high as the Halton Catholic District School Board suspended implementation of its controversial fundraising policy.

HAMILTON – A Catholic school board in Ontario has suspended a policy prohibiting students from raising money for groups that support activities contrary to Catholic doctrine.

PORTSMOUTH, England – An English bishop has asked the people of his diocese to remember the sanctity of human life at all stages as they prepare to vote in the upcoming general election.